The Florida Senate

944.705  Release orientation program.--

(1)  The department shall provide participation in a standardized release orientation program to every eligible inmate.

(2)  The release orientation program instruction must include, but is not limited to:

(a)  Employment skills.

(b)  Money management skills.

(c)  Personal development and planning.

(d)  Special needs.

(e)  Community reentry concerns.

(f)  Community reentry support.

(g)  Any other appropriate instruction to ensure the inmate's successful reentry into the community.

(3)  Any inmate who claims to be a victim of domestic violence as defined in s. 741.28 shall receive, as part of the release orientation program, referral to the nearest domestic violence center certified under chapter 39.

(4)  The department shall conduct a needs assessment of every inmate to determine which, if any, basic support services the inmate needs after release.

(5)  The department may contract with public or private entities, including faith-based service groups, for the provision of all or part of the services pursuant to this section.

(6)(a)  The department shall notify every inmate, in no less than 18-point type in the inmate's release documents, that the inmate may be sentenced pursuant to s. 775.082(9) if the inmate commits any felony offense described in s. 775.082(9) within 3 years after the inmate's release. This notice must be prefaced by the word "WARNING" in boldfaced type.

(b)  Nothing in this section precludes the sentencing of a person pursuant to s. 775.082(9), nor shall evidence that the department failed to provide this notice prohibit a person from being sentenced pursuant to s. 775.082(9). The state shall not be required to demonstrate that a person received any notice from the department in order for the court to impose a sentence pursuant to s. 775.082(9).

History.--ss. 8, 12, ch. 87-298; ss. 12, 13, ch. 88-122; s. 31, ch. 89-526; s. 9, ch. 91-210; s. 9, ch. 92-310; s. 26, ch. 94-134; s. 26, ch. 94-135; s. 3, ch. 97-239; s. 17, ch. 98-204; s. 164, ch. 98-403; s. 10, ch. 2001-110.